F1 News: Carlos Sainz Confirms "Surprise" Over Lewis Hamilton Replacement
Carlos Sainz expressed his astonishment at Ferrari's decision to sign Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season, marking a significant shift for the team. The revelation means the Spanish driver will part ways with the Maranello-based squad after the upcoming season.
Key Takeaways:
- Ferrari's acquisition of Lewis Hamilton for 2025 has sent shockwaves through the F1 community, including Carlos Sainz.
- Sainz, set to leave Ferrari at the end of 2024, was restricted in his comments during the SF-24 car launch.
- The press was firmly instructed to limit questions on the matter after Sainz's initial statement, according to GP Blog.
Ferrari's unexpected move to bring seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton on board for the 2025 season has taken the Formula One world by storm, including its own driver, Carlos Sainz. The transition signals Sainz's departure from the team following the conclusion of the 2024 season. Amidst the buzz surrounding the SF-24's unveiling, Sainz found himself at the centre of a media whirlwind, prompted to share his thoughts on the significant team change.
Sainz remained brief with his comments on the situation, stating:
"Yeah, I think there was, I think obviously a bit of a surprise, like [for] everyone in the Formula One world with the news. I think everyone was surprised in a way with what happened. From my side, you can obviously understand that I got to know the news a bit earlier than anyone else. But it's true that then I had some weeks to reflect, some weeks to prepare and some weeks to also get ready for the car launch, for the first race of the season.
"So it gives you a bit of time to digest it, to make your own conclusions and to focus in the 2024 season now that there is ahead. But the fact that it was a bit of a surprise to the whole Formula One world is no news, and it was obviously also for me."